Xbox kicks off global push to combat misogyny in gaming
Xbox is striving to celebrate women players with a global campaign after conceding that gaming is riddled with misogyny, bullying and sexist insults.
In a move to promote gender equality, Xbox has replaced the B button on consoles with an equal sign and is sending them to a selection of the “world’s biggest gaming influencers”.
The ‘Gaming for Everyone’ campaign, to be rolled out in 23 countries, will aim to “welcome women into the community, motivate and empower them”.
Communication agency Serviceplan said while women make up almost half of the gaming community, and hold high-profile leadership positions in the industry, women still struggle to “combat misogyny in the form of outdated gender stereotypes, discrimination, bullying and sexist insults”.
Xbox, together with the Serviceplan Group, is “committed to contributing to more equality in the gaming community and giving women more visibility within the scene”, it said.
Maxi Gräff, marketing communications lead at Xbox added: “Gaming is for everyone, and we at Xbox want everyone within the gaming community to be equally welcome and treated with respect.
“The controller stands for the support women in gaming have for each other and has been sent to supportive women gamers around the world.”
Pressing the equal button plays audio files with nine supportive messages from prominent women in the industry.
In addition, various women Xbox employees have recorded “gaming For everyone” in their native language in a move to empower women gamers.
